I'm invincible once I descend the mountain; the beautiful CEO is forcing me to get our marriage

The shore was deathly silent.

Everyone's minds were struck as if by a heavy hammer, leaving only a blank and a deafening roar.

"To suppress this place merely with martial arts aura?"

The guardian of the southern border bobbed violently, managing to squeeze out a few words with difficulty, feeling as if all his lifelong understanding was collapsing inch by inch at this moment.

"This... could it truly be the immense power possessed only by those at the Martial God Realm?"

Elder Feng's expression shifted between light and dark, alternating between pale and flushed. He had experienced countless battles throughout his life and had seen at least eighty or a hundred powerful beings at the Celestial Realm, but the scene before him had completely overturned his understanding of the world.

With just a single thought, he could make tens of thousands of ancient ferocious creatures retreat and bow their heads, not daring to approach.

These are not methods that ordinary people could possess!

"I don't believe it! There must be some kind of trick!"

A low growl broke the silence.

A guest elder of the Northern Martial Arts Alliance, known for his agility, wore a fierce expression, clearly unwilling to believe what he was seeing.

Before he finished speaking, his true energy erupted from his feet, and he transformed into a swift afterimage, rushing straight towards the first floating stone!

However, he had barely swum less than three zhang (approximately 10 meters) from the shore—

"squeak--!!"

Beneath the abyss, the endless crimson light spots that had just fallen silent suddenly erupted!

Like bees enraged by a provocation, a vast expanse of pale white bone shadows transformed into countless bolts of deathly lightning, accompanied by ear-piercing shrieks powerful enough to tear apart the soul, swarming towards him and blotting out the sky!

"not good!"

The guest elder was so frightened that he forcibly reversed his true energy in mid-air, twisted his body, and flew back in an extremely disheveled manner, crashing heavily back onto the shore.

Even though he retreated quickly enough, a pale, menacing shadow still grazed his calf.

"ah--!"

A piercing scream tore through the sky.

The skin and flesh on his calves, along with his trouser legs, vanished into thin air in an instant, revealing the stark white bones with jagged edges, as if they had been completely devoured in a single moment!

Everyone gasped at the sight, feeling a chill run straight to the top of their heads and their scalps tingling.

Can even the protective true energy of a Celestial Realm expert be torn apart in an instant?

They didn't even have any power to resist?

This scene completely shattered the last glimmer of hope in everyone's hearts.

For them, that suspended bridge was clearly a dead end leading to the deepest hell.

Meanwhile, Ye An and his group had already strolled leisurely to the center of the pontoon bridge. Their figures, with their clothes fluttering slightly and their steps relaxed, formed an almost cruelly ironic contrast with the group of terrified people on the shore.

In this suffocating silence—

"Giggle giggle..."

A burst of laughter, as melodious as shattered silver bells, abruptly ripped through the oppressive air.

Chi Yue, the little Gu girl from the southern border, moved with light steps, the silver bells on her wrists and ankles jingling with each step, clear and melodious.

She walked straight to the edge of the cliff, the breeze blowing her colorful Miao skirt, outlining her graceful curves.

Those captivating peach blossom eyes, brimming with allure, were fixed intently on Ye An's tall and straight back across the abyss.

The next moment, her lips parted slightly, and her clear, sweet voice, infused with true energy, echoed across the entire abyss:

"Young Master Ye, why the rush? If you would be so kind as to escort us through this perilous place, I... would gladly offer myself to you, take you back to the Hundred Thousand Mountains of Southern Xinjiang, and become your husband. What do you say?"

boom!

His words caused a huge uproar, like a thunderclap in the minds of everyone on the shore!

The Holy Maiden of the Valley of Ten Thousand Poisons in Southern Xinjiang—what a revered and fearsome identity she held!

Ordinary men, let alone marry her, would be afraid of being devoured by a thousand poisonous creatures just by getting within three steps of her.

Now, in front of so many experts, she's actually willingly accepting a nameless 'master' as her husband?!

Elder Feng's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, his throat went dry as he swallowed hard, and his heart skipped a beat.

He had long experienced the viciousness and ruthlessness of the Southern Frontier demoness. It was rumored that the Holy Maiden of the Valley of Ten Thousand Poisons possessed a "Life-Bound Love Gu," which, once implanted in a man's body, would turn even the toughest man into a submissive and obedient love slave.

Even so, this choice is still absurd!

Elder Feng subconsciously glanced at Zhang Huaiyu beside him.

At this moment, the young Taoist priest of Longhu Mountain showed no change in expression, except...

He was a dignified orthodox Taoist, a once-in-a-century genius, wielding the supremely powerful and yang Five Thunder Orthodox Method, yet Chi Yue never even gave him a second glance, but instead went to fawn over that unknown 'Master Ye'.

What's the point?

Could it be that the kid's abilities are truly more terrifying than those of the chosen ones who possess the Celestial Master lineage?

Elder Feng was filled with doubts and could not figure it out no matter how hard he tried.

Just as everyone was filled with doubt and whispering among themselves, He Zhenshan, who was standing at the end of the line, took in everything.

Seeing his master Ye being publicly shown favor by the Holy Maiden of Southern Xinjiang, and seeing the ignorant looks on the faces of these martial arts alliance experts, he puffed out his chest, his face full of pride and arrogance.

"Ahem!"

He Zhenshan cleared his throat heavily, met the probing gazes of Elder Feng and the others, raised his chin slightly, and sneered:

"A bunch of ignorant frogs in a well, all talk and no action!"

His gaze swept over the crowd, his tone laced with undisguised boasting:

"To tell you the truth, when Master Ye was in the outer city, he crushed an entire army of paper dolls into ashes with a mere wave of his hand!"

"Not only that, the master also personally snatched a rare treasure from the paper figure commander!"

At this point, He Zhenshan deliberately dragged out the last syllable, and seeing that all the cultivators present had their ears perked up and their appetites had been whetted to the extreme, he slowly and deliberately continued:

"A top-grade black drum capable of blocking the flow of true energy and manipulating evil spirits!"

"Is that the black drum?!"

Elder Feng shuddered violently, a memory flashing through his mind like lightning, and he exclaimed in shock:

"I remember now! On the long street on the west side of the outer city, I also spotted a paper general carrying a black bone drum from afar!"

"The ferocious aura emanating from that thing definitely reached the level of a Celestial Being at the peak! For the sake of the greater good, I led my team to avoid its sharp edge and didn't dare to confront it head-on!"

The expressions of the several Celestial Realm experts accompanying him also changed drastically, and they echoed his sentiments:

"Yes! I remember too! As soon as that black drum was struck, the vengeful paper figures within a hundred meters would go berserk and slaughter everyone!"

"So... that drum is actually the instrument that governs all the evil spirits of the ancient city?!"

"So that's how it is! That's how it is!"

Elder Feng slapped his thigh suddenly, and his previously taut and aged face instantly relaxed, revealing a look of sudden realization, ecstatic joy, and disdain.

All the previously inexplicable mysteries were suddenly connected and fit together perfectly in this moment!

Why was that kid able to shatter the ferocious and tyrannical headless corpse puppet with a single palm strike?

Because he possesses a powerful treasure specifically designed to counteract Yin energy!

Why do the Soul-Devouring Bone Bats, which swarm across the sky and are so numerous that even thunder magic cannot drive them away, scatter in fear when they see him, as if avoiding snakes and scorpions?

Because he carried that extremely dark black drum that commanded the Yin generals!

"Hahaha... I thought some extraordinary genius had appeared, but it turns out he's just borrowing the power of a magic weapon!"

Elder Feng let out a long sigh of relief, his eyes regaining their light, and thought to himself:

"What martial arts mastery, what genius... he's just an opportunistic junior who got a huge windfall and stumbled upon a stroke of luck!"

Having figured this out, Elder Feng and the others' gazes towards Ye An's retreating figure instantly changed.

The initial awe and fear vanished without a trace, replaced by intense jealousy and a hint of barely perceptible contempt.

It turns out he was just an opportunist who took advantage of the magic weapon!

Among the crowd, only Zhang Huaiyu broke out in a cold sweat even more after hearing He Zhenshan's words.

Is it all thanks to a single magical artifact?

How could it be that simple?

Others may not know, but he saw it with his own eyes.

The headless corpse puppet was not suppressed by the magic weapon, but was directly annihilated into ashes from within by an extremely yang and powerful force that he could not understand!

How could such effortless and annihilating things in the blink of an eye be explained by a magic weapon?

He looked at Elder Feng and the others with their smug expressions of "I've seen through everything," opened his mouth, but ultimately chose to remain silent.

Meanwhile, on the shore, Elder Feng, who thought he had figured out Ye An's "trump card," had already subtly changed his mindset.

His initial awe and apprehension vanished instantly, replaced by a hint of arrogant condescension. But with the celestial palace on the opposite bank bathed in myriad rays of light offering such an opportunity, how could he possibly give it up?

He cleared his throat, put on a warm, familiar smile, and shouted loudly towards the center of the pontoon bridge:

"Young friend Ye! Young friend Ye, please wait!"

In a short time, Ye An had been downgraded in his eyes from an unapproachable "senior expert" to a "young friend" with whom he could be treated as an equal.

"The path of cultivation is fraught with peril and unpredictability. As fellow practitioners of martial arts, we should be united and support each other!"

Elder Feng stroked his long beard, his voice booming, and spoke in a grand and dignified manner.

"Please, young friend, consider our shared path and fully activate your magical artifact to protect us as we cross the bridge together."

"Once we enter the Celestial Palace and obtain our opportunities, our Northern Martial Arts Alliance will surely remember this great kindness from you, young friend, and will repay you handsomely in the future!"

These words not only enhanced the prestige of their martial arts alliance but also made "demanding protection" seem like a matter of course.

Ye An remained calm and did not immediately express his opinion, but the two women beside him could not stand it any longer.

"Ha, they were timid and hesitant before, but now they're acting like magnanimous comrades. What a bunch of Monday morning quarterbacks."

Anya's cool voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undisguised sarcasm.

With a slight glance, she took in the greedy and mercenary faces of the group of people on the shore.

As she spoke, she subtly took a half-step to Ye An's side, her posture upright and heroic, perfectly blocking the burning gaze from Chi Yue behind her.

Jiang Yu'er, on the other hand, was more direct. She grabbed Ye An's arm tightly and gave a soft snort:

"Brother Ye, ignore them! They're a bunch of opportunists, now that they're getting something out of it, they're shamelessly sidling up to us!"

Faced with the expectations on the shore and the complaints around him, Ye An simply turned around and looked over the churning clouds and mist, landing on Elder Feng and the others.

"You want me to protect you as you cross the bridge?" Ye An's lips curled into a half-smile, his voice calm yet clear enough to pierce through the abyss and carry back to the shore.

"Sure. However, I never do business at a loss. If you want to use my route, you must exchange something. Rare and precious materials, hidden treasures, one item in exchange for one spot."

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the people on the shore immediately changed.

He Fei frowned. Weren't we entering the inner city together before? Why are we suddenly being charged now?

He couldn't help but mutter to himself, "One rare treasure for one spot? That's outrageous and unreasonable..."

"Shut up!"

He Zhenshan suddenly turned his head and glared at him fiercely, which made He Fei shrink back and swallow the rest of his words.

He Zhenshan was a seasoned veteran who had seen many storms, and he knew that if he were to die here, all the treasures he carried would be useless.

In this secret realm fraught with danger, expecting others to share your beliefs is a joke. Being able to buy a path to heaven with material possessions is already an incredible stroke of luck!

Without the slightest hesitation, He Zhenshan immediately clasped his hands in a loud voice and said, "Master Ye is absolutely right! I am willing to offer top-grade spiritual jade and a hundred-year-old dragon's saliva grass in exchange for a spot on the bridge!"

"Hehe, Chairman He is indeed very sensible."

Before Elder Feng could weigh the pros and cons, Chi Yue, standing to the side, covered her mouth and chuckled.

This young Gu-wielding girl from the southern border was always decisive and efficient. With a flick of her wrist, a brocade box, wreathed in a dark, spiritual light, appeared in her palm.

"Young Master Ye, I may not have much else, but I have plenty of rare and poisonous spiritual herbs growing in the Hundred Thousand Mountains of Southern Xinjiang. How about I give you this 'Ghost Flower'?"

Immediately afterwards, Zhang Huaiyu, a successor from Longhu Mountain, stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and said in a gentle voice:

"Mr. Ye, I originally intended to try my luck with the Taoist magic of Longhu Mountain first. But if I am unable to do so and find myself in a dangerous situation, I hope that you will lend me a hand."

"Sure," Ye An replied with a smile, readily agreeing.

"When that time comes, I will certainly not stand idly by, but... the fees that need to be collected will still be substantial."

Upon hearing this, a glint of light flashed in Zhang Huaiyu's eyes, and he cupped his hands in approval.

With several factions making their decisions one after another, the gazes of those present swept over the Northern Martial Arts Alliance, and an invisible pressure instantly fell upon them.

Elder Feng's face turned pale and then red, and his eyes twitched with pain.

I was hoping to use my elders' influence to get something for free...

Now he's caught in a dilemma, forced to hand over the rare treasure to a junior, which is so frustrating that he's internally injured and vomiting blood.

But looking at the deep, treacherous abyss of floating rocks ahead, and then at the celestial palace so close on the opposite bank, he could only grit his teeth and swallow his anger, forcing out a stiff smile:

"Very well...very well! I happen to have a 'Purple Sun Ginseng' on me, which I'll give as a token of my gratitude to young friend Ye!"

Seeing that all three parties had lowered their heads, Ye An remained calm and nodded slightly: "Now that the rules have been established, let's go across the bridge."

He could see through the ulterior motives of these people, but faced with absolute power, he simply couldn't be bothered to expose them.

"Thank you, Mr. Ye!"

The people on the shore were overjoyed, as if they had been granted a pardon, and some even began to scramble to get on board.

But facing the endless abyss beneath their feet, they still dared not be careless in the slightest. They carefully stepped onto the first floating stone, quickly calmed their minds, and followed closely behind He Zhenshan and Elder Feng. They carefully squeezed along the edge of the invisible domain emanating from Ye An, moving step by step toward the other side.

The once empty and desolate surface of the abyss was suddenly stretched into a long, winding line.

Chi Yue trailed lightly at the back of the group, letting the howling winds of the abyss whistle beneath her feet, her expression as leisurely as if she were strolling in a garden.

Her bright, beautiful eyes never looked at the floating stones beneath her feet.

Instead, it hovered over the backs of Ye An, An Ya, and Jiang Yu'er with a half-smile.

A faint, playful smile played on her bright red lips.

"Interesting..." she murmured almost inaudibly, her eyes sparkling with a strange light.

Soon, the group crossed the abyss without any major incident.

A colossal palace, so magnificent it defied imagination, appeared before them.

The palace gates were tightly closed, covered with mysterious and intricate golden patterns that were slowly flowing, exuding an ancient and powerful aura.

"We're here! We've finally arrived!"

A late-stage Celestial Realm expert from the Northern Martial Alliance, who had been treated as a burden, harbored resentment. Upon seeing the Immortal Palace, greed instantly overcame reason.

He's trying to steal the credit and prove his own abilities!

"Open it!"

He roared, unleashing his full inner energy, and with a punch carrying immense force, slammed into the massive palace gate!

"Bang!"

The moment the fist made contact with the door, the golden array patterns on the door suddenly lit up!

A force several times stronger than when he unleashed it suddenly rebounded!

"What?"